I Stand Here Waiting
by bobt
Summary: In the afterlife, Jack finds himself unable to move on from the church after realizing Kate believed he was still alive and waited years for his return.
1. Inside the Church

**Hey Everyone! So excited.. This is my first fanfic that's not sci-fi/adventure type writing.. Reading the amazing stories on this site has turned me into such a sap, I had to give the romance writing a try. I'm so glad I did.. As I write this story I am crying tears of happiness (ok, a little exageration) but seriously, I am experiencing chills as I write this, I feel so inspired and the meaning behind this short and sweet story is so powerful.. I'm thinking 2-4 chapters..Please, comments are welcome! Enjoy! -bobt**

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><p><strong>-Chapter 1-<strong>  
><strong>Inside the Church<strong>

Christian Shephard opens the doors to the foyer, allowing the light to overtake the church. It's extremely bright; what would otherwise be blinding, somehow enhances their vision in this extraordinary place. Most of them stand from the pews and begin leaving toward the light; Jack and Kate remain seated to further enjoy the moment.

Jack tightens his grasp on her hand; she smiles back, her soul fulfilled at last for finally being next to the man she loves. He looks down and presses his hand against his chest, then uses his fingers to poke his shoulders and arms.

"It's real, Jack," she says, taking his hand and placing it against her cheek.

"I know, but, how can it"

"Shhhhhhhh be still." She kisses his hand and places it back on his lap. Jack stubbornly feels his leg, then presses his chest again.

"I waited for you, Jack. I believed everyday, for years, that you somehow survived and would someday show up at my door."

_Tell me I'm gonna see you again. _For Jack, it was only moments ago that he heard those final fateful words. He remembers that last kiss goodbye on the cliff after not responding. "I didn't want to give you false hope of ever seeing me again," he says, shaking his head. "I didn't say yes, Kate."

"I know. But you didn't say no either," Kate replies, looking away but still holding his hand.

Jack pulls at her hand until she looks back at him. "So, you never met anyone else?"

"If I did, then he would be in the church, wouldn't he?"

Jack places his fingers to his brow, like he typically does when he's confused. "You were alone, for the rest of your life?"

"Not always. Claire and Aaron became like family to me."

"That's nice." Jack looks away and laughs nervously. "But that's not what I'm asking."

"Ok," she smiles, looking away with a blush. "There were a few others, but nothing serious. There was nobody like you, Jack."

Jack stands and looks forward, staring at the symbolic arrangement of cross and stained glass. The thought of Kate waiting for him for all those years burdens his heart. Surely, Jack died a hero's death; he paid the ultimate price for saving his friends and the Island. But Kate also paid the price in missing Jack the entire life he died to give her, and for that, Jack is left feeling the least bit heroic.

He steps closer to the front of the church, staring blankly at the crucifix hanging from the ceiling. Kate follows from behind, then looks back to the light emanating from the open doors. The rest of the couples stand at the back, waiting patiently for Jack and Kate to join them.

"Everyone's waiting for us," she says. "Let's go Jack. It's time to move on." She tugs his arm, but Jack doesn't budge. "What's wrong?" she asks.

"I can't move on, Kate."

Their friends realize they're not coming, and walk back up the aisle to join them at the front pew. "What's goin' on, Doc?" asks Sawyer.

"I have to go back," he says, continuing his stare at the crucifix.

John Locke looks over to Sawyer, and subtly shakes his head. Even Locke understands their purposes for going back to the Island have been fulfilled.

"Are you crazy!" Kate asks, her voice louder than appropriate for being inside a church. "You want to go back? To the Island?"

"No Kate," he says, turning his gaze from the cross to her eyes. "I want to go back _to you_."

(to be continued!)


	2. A Special Ingredient

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**-Chapter 2-**  
><strong>A Special Ingredient<strong>

"I want to go back _to you_."

Kate's heart softens to his remark. She's flattered by his intensions, but realizes being together right now is the only thing that's possible, and the only thing that matters. "Jack," she whispers, as a tear streams down her cheek. "There's no going back."

Jack shares her pain, but unlike Kate, he can't let go. He presses his fingers against his temples, imagining what she must have gone through each lonely day that went by. "There has to be a way, Kate; a way to reverse things; reverse time."

"Impossible, Jack." Daniel Faraday clears his throat and steps forward from the group. The emotional and spiritual significance of the moment falls instantly flat; it's as if they all went straight from church into a science classroom. "I dedicated my entire life to studying time." He brings out his physics journal and opens to show him the complex diagrams explaining time traveling phenomena. "Time is like a street. You can go forward, and you can go backward; but you can't create a new street. You can't change what happened. Whatever happened, _happened_."

Jack looks down, shaking his head in disappointment. Daniel offers him his physics journal. "Here, take it," he says. "If there's any way of changing the past, you'll find it in here."

Jack skims over the pages of handwritten mathematical formulas and physics diagrams. It's useless; most of it incomprehensible for anybody without a Ph.D in physics. Toward the middle of the journal, he comes across a sentence of instruction that's legible enough to read. He recites the words beneath his breathe.

_"If anything goes wrong,_  
><em>Desmond Hume will be my constant."<em>

"Excuse me, brutha," Desmond says from the back of the group. "Did you just say my name?" Desmond comes forward; Jack hands him the journal opened to the page. He reads it over, and skims the next several pages. "I'm the constant?" he remarks, his inflexion halfway between a question and a suggestion. "_I am_ the constant," he says again, with more conviction.

"What does that mean?" Jack asks.

"I believe it means, Jack; that I may be the one that can guide you back."

"Desmond, listen to me." Daniel raises both hands halfway like he's gesturing to use extreme caution. "There's nothing you can do; this is all theoretical and would require a very large electromagnetic"

"Shut it, professor," Sawyer demands in his cowboy tone; his eyes squinted and his arms crossed in front of his chest. "You've done enough explainin'. Maybe Des figured out somethin' you didn't."

Desmond closes the journal and looks to Jack and Kate. "What is possible here, in this place, isn't written on the pages of physics journals." He reaches over and hands Daniel back his journal. "Keep it, brutha."

Daniel opens it again, to see if there's something he might have overlooked.

Desmond smiles contently, amused that a man of Daniel's intellect is unable to comprehend the solution. "What we have in abundance here, is _a special ingredient_ our scientist friend apparently missed."

Penny looks around and sees the blank look on everyone's faces. "Des, sweetie; please tell us. What is it?"

"It's love, Pen," he responds with a smirk.

"Love?" she asks, slightly embarrassed by his cheesy answer.

"Love."

(to be continued! sorry this was cheesy, it gets better!)


	3. Answered Prayer

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**-Chapter 3-**  
><strong>Answered Prayer<strong>

"Love."

Charlie Pace grins, showing his familiar gapped tooth rock band smile. "What's love got-to-do with it?" he says half jokingly. Everyone peers around at one another, smirking and holding back giggles.

"Everything, brutha," replies Desmond, laughing along with the group. Kate elbows Jack in the side to share in the laughter, but he's oblivious to the humor, and keeps a straight face. He's focused; willing to listen to whatever Desmond has to say if it means being with Kate once again. "Desmond, please; can you help me find Kate?"

The laughter quiets down, and Kate squeezes Jack's hand again. Desmond nods; his expression turns serious. "Jack, the night we first met in Los Angeles; when we were both running steps at the stadium. Do you remember, brutha?"

"Of course," says Jack.

"I helped you after you fell and injured your ankle. Then you spoke with me about the surgery that went terribly wrong. Do you remember what I said to you after that?"

Jack concentrates, his eyes glazing over. "Lift it up, brutha," Jack replies, doing his best Desmond impersonation.

Desmond slowly shakes his head and gives a weak smile, still sensing Jack never understood his words of advice. "I wasn't referring to your ankle."

Jack smiles uncomfortably, but pushes through for the sake of finding Kate. "I know," he says, slightly ashamed.

He knew exactly what Desmond meant when he said it, but quickly dismissed it, opting to lift only his ankle up that night. At the time, he was strictly a man of medicine; a _man of science_ and logic. It was the Island that steered Jack into his journey of becoming a man of faith. And now that he's dead, that journey of faith is complete.

Regardless, Jack has never said a prayer in his life; nor in this case, the afterlife. Sure, he's said the occasional Thanksgiving blessing he felt obligated to do, or shouted at God when frustrated; but a sincere asking and believing of his heart's desire? Never.

Until now.

Jack looks ahead at the religious symbology crafted into the stained glass and altar decoration. The Christ figure stares down from the crucifix on the ceiling. The figurines of angels and saints stand at attention as Jack's audience.

Jack bows his head and closes his eyes. He shifts his grip with Kate's hand so their fingers intertwine. He's unable to express his request in words, so he simply imagines Kate waiting for him. She's standing in knee deep water on a beach somewhere, looking out on the ocean longing for his return.

Jack squeezes Kate's hand one last time, then suddenly, his hand is empty. He swings his hand out to tap her, but she's gone. He peaks out his left eye and sees nobody. His heart begins to race. He opens both eyes; a catholic priest is standing before him. Jack is initially frightened and instinctively steps back.

"Ello, Jack."

He's a large African man, with short dreads woven into his hair and inside his beard. He's holding a staff with bible passages carved into the wood.

"Your prayer az bene ird, and answeered," he says. His voice is deep, and his words heavily annunciated with a thick Nigerian accent.

"Eko?" says Charlie from behind.

"Ello Chawlie," he says smiling, but maintaining eye contact with Jack.

Jack turns his head and glances around one more time for Kate. Everyone stands speechless, having witnessed Kate's miraculous disappearance and Mr. Eko's appearance. "Where is she?" he asks.

"Go, Jack. She eese waiting for you."

Jack touches his neck after feeling a strange tickling. He checks his finger and notices blood. Suddenly, an acute pain on the left side of his abdomen erupts; he holds his stomach and stumbles forward. His knees give way; Desmond runs up to assist him, and places pressure on the abdominal wound.

"What is happening to me?" says Jack. His voice is frail, and his face is turning pale as the pain and blood loss persists.

"This is what you wanted, Jack; seeing Kate doesn't come without sacrifice," explains Desmond. He's unusually calm and collected; confident that whatever is happening to Jack will have a positive outcome. He takes off his shirt and presses the wound to hold the bleeding. "I'm keeping the pressure, Jack, but I need you to wake up."

Jack panics and looks down at the blood; it's as if he's reliving his own death.

"Wake up, Jack. Wake up."

* * *

><p>Jack flutters his eyes and focuses. The shoots of bamboo he's surrounded by stretch vertically to the sky, and sway in the breeze. The air is different, and he feels the moist soil of the forest floor against his back.<p>

Desmond Hume is frantically standing over top of him."Wake up, Jack! Wake up!" he yells, shaking Jack's shoulders. He slips his shirt off and presses against the gaping wound on Jack's abdomen. "I'm keeping the pressure, brutha, but I need you to wake up!"

Hurley steps closer and kneels at his side. "Dude, hang in there man."

(to be continued! By the way, at the rate I'm going, definitely more than 4 chapters. I'm thinking 6 now.. I love writing this, hope you're enjoying!)


	4. Second Chances PartI

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**-Chapter 4-**  
><strong>Second Chances Part I<strong>

Hurley steps closer and kneels at Jack's side. It was less than an hour ago when he received Jack's transfer of Island leadership. The last time he saw Jack was when he lowered him down the waterfall leading to the heart of the Island. After the earthquakes subsided and the light in the cave turned back on, Desmond persuaded the group to search for Jack down stream.

Desmond keeps the pressure on Jack's wound, but the circumstances look dire. Jack struggles with each shallow breath and barely holds to consciousness; it's as if he's at death's door but refuses to let go. His strength is drained to the point where every muscle is paralyzed. He gazes toward the sky between the bamboo tops; his last memory on the Island is the plane flying straight over his view.

Ben Linus steps forward to offer assistance. "There's another hatch approximately a quarter mile from here. It's a medical facility called the Staff. I'll go and retrieve supplies." He takes several steps into the woods, but hesitates to leave anticipating Jack may die any moment.

"He needs water!" pleads Desmond. "Hurley, I need you to keep pressure on his wound while I go fill a bottle in the stream!" Desmond reaches for Hurley's arm, and instructs him where to press. The wadded shirt being used as a bandage is soaked through with blood.

"Ahhh Dude. Dude!" Hurley shrieks, his hands now covered in Jack's blood. "You need to know something man, I don't do well with blood. Last time I did this I fainted on Jack's patient!"

"Keep the pressure, Hurley. I'll be right back!" Desmond yells, walking downhill toward the stream.

Suddenly, Hurley feels a warming sensation emanating from his palms and flowing through his fingertips. Apparently, being the Island protector has granted him supernatural privileges he's now just discovering. "Uh dudes, I think something's happening." He feels movement of flesh rearranging and fluids refilling beneath Jack's skin. Hurley endures the increase temperature where his hands make contact. A bright light radiates from Jack's wound, bright enough to illuminate the inside of Hurley's hands. "Cool man! I think the Island's given me, like, superhero powers!"

Jack inhales deeper breaths, and a healthy color returns to his face. He raises his head to witness the remainder of the miracle healing. The light fades, and the heat dissipates. Hurley takes his hands away; the blood has completely vanished, and Jack's wound is completely healed over.

Jack sits up in amazement, while Hurley almost tackles him back over in excitement. "Dude, Jack! You're alive! You made it! I thought you were dead man!"

Desmond squeezes in between to join the celebration. "Jack, welcome back, brutha!" Hurley and Desmond help Jack to his feet and brush the dirt off his clothes.

Ben grins smugly from a distance; he's content to observe the celebration without the hugs and back slaps. "You're lucky, Jack. It seems the Island has given you a second chance." He loses the grin, and steps closer to recruit Jack into future plans he's already devising. "I'm assisting Hurley with the leadership of this Island; perhaps you would like to join us? We could really use a doctor on our team."

Jack nervously laughs and shakes his head at the offer. "No thanks," he says. His heart has already made a choice. He's thankful to Hurley and the Island for keeping him alive, but knows the reason he came back was to be with Kate.

"The Island is finished with the both of us, Benjamin," says Desmond. "Jack and I are takin' me boat and sailing home. Besides, someone very special is waiting for his return." Desmond winks at Jack; it seems he shares in the awareness of their conversation in the afterlife.

"I understand dude," says Hurley, patting Jack on the shoulder. "After that big goodbye smooch on the cliff, I think Kate's gonna be real happy to see you again."

"I can't wait to see her," Jack replies smiling. "She was the first thing on my mind when I woke up."

"Woke up?" Hurley pauses then scratches his head. "You mean you were, like, really dead?"

Jack nods, but hesitates to explain.

"Like a bright light, but didn't go to it?" asks Hurley.

"There was a bright light, but it was inside a church. Everyone from the Island was there; including you Hurley."

"But, I'm like, still alive dude," says Hurley, showing a blank look of confusion.

"Then it must have been a dream," says Jack, winking at Desmond.

Ben takes notice of the gesturing between Jack and Desmond and becomes curious about the church story. "What about me, Jack? Was I with everybody else in the church?"

Jack looks to Desmond. His expression becomes serious; he looks away instead of winking.

Jack is uncomfortable, but decides to tell Ben the truth. "No Ben. I didn't see you there."

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><p><strong>to be continued! Hope everyone is still enjoying! Hang tight, it will all come together..<strong>


	5. Second Chances PartII

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**-Chapter 5-**  
><strong>Second Chances Part II<strong>

Ben sits down in the soft sand and looks out to the ocean. The breeze is refreshing. The waves break and rush ashore just within reach of his toes. He's usually not the type to pause and appreciate island scenery, but needs a break after the overly burdensome week.

The current mess on the Island began with Ben's actions, and if not for Hurley, may have ended with Jack's death. In cold blood, he murdered Jacob. Out of revenge for his daughter, he murdered Widmore. Both acts couldn't fill the rage he felt, or replace what was missing. It brought him to a point of brokenness he's never been before. And now, passed up by Jack as leader, he's humbly tasked as the Island's number two. Of course, Benjamin will always be the brains behind the operation, but the Island ultimately needed a leader like Hurley; someone honest and full of optimism.

Ben throws a rock to the waves then hears footsteps approaching from behind. "What did you want to say to me?"

He looks up, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand. "Hello, Jack." He pats the sand next to him. "Have a seat."

Jack inhales a lungful of ocean scented air, then lowers himself to take a seat. He turns to talk, but Ben ignores him while continuing his stare to the ocean.

Jack doesn't mind; he looks forward and relaxes. After a moment of taking in the scenery, he looks over and recognizes the shape of the beach and the trees at the edge of the forest.

"That was our beach camp," he says, pointing to the trees down the beach. He looks down and runs his fingers through the surface of the sand. "I remember sitting here, several days after the plane crash, talking with Kate."

He turns to Ben once again; he's still not talking. Jack sees a brown bottle in the sand next to him. It doesn't seem like Ben to drink his sorrows away, but Jack knows what he's going through, and figures he's having problems adjusting.

Jack looks back out to the ocean then chuckles beneath his breath. He's thinking of Kate, and everything they went through together. "We were sitting right here, and she wanted to confess to me what she did, about why there was a marshal on the plane."

Ben perks his ears and slowly turns his head. "What did she say?"

"I told her I didn't want to know." Jack shakes his head then brushes the sand off his hands over his jeans. "Who we were, what we did before the crash; none of it mattered. Coming here gave all of us a second chance."

Ben looks down and finds another rock to toss. He rolls it between his fingers and holds on to it instead. "I know the reason why I wasn't in the church, Jack."

Jack's curious. It was obvious Ben was bothered after Jack said he didn't see him. Jack didn't think much of it, thinking that maybe only the closest of his friends would be together. "I don't know, Ben. Why?" he asks, shrugging his shoulders.

"Because, the second chances I need will come only when I'm dead."

Jack nods and looks back out to the waves. Ben's answer makes sense. The afterlife was a place where it was possible to meet people you already knew, but could relive getting to know them all over; and in the process live a better life making better choices. Whatever the soul needed to move on. For Jack, that wasn't good enough; he wanted to live his life right the first time.

"Jack Shephard; the man of second chances," says Ben. He tosses the rock to the waves, then picks up the brown bottle in the sand.

Jack gets a closer look, and sees the bottle is old and crusted over with residue. Ben must have found it buried in the sand, which means he wasn't drinking after all; although, his ramblings suggest otherwise.

"Before you, Jack, each leader of this Island paid the ultimate price before passing the torch of leadership. There was Jacob, of course; but before him was the woman who raised him; and before her, the woman who raised her. But now there's Jack Shepherd, who courageously became leader and saved the Island all within the course of one week, and was miraculously brought back to life by the next leader."

Jack senses the animosity in Ben's tone and is confused as to why Ben wouldn't be happy that he ultimately survived. "Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?" he asks, his voice sounding impatient.

Ben shakes his head, and holds the brown bottle up to the sunlight. "During my time growing up here, the Dharma Initiative prohibited members from communicating off island. Some families would place messages in a bottle, and float them out to sea. It was all fun and tradition of course. Nobody was really stuck here, like you and your friends were; they could leave on a submarine anytime they wanted."

Jack looks again to the bottle; the sunlight reveals a rolled paper inside. Jack's curious. "Did you just find that on the beach?" he asks.

Ben shakes his head again. "I found it when I was only a teenager; held on to it ever since. The bottle didn't have a Dharma logo on it, so I realized it must have floated here from somewhere else." Ben passes the bottle to Jack. "Here; it's yours, Jack."

"Really?" Jack takes it and looks it over. The glass is as rough as sandpaper, and is more ornamental than a typical beverage bottle.

"Until today, I had no idea what the message meant." Ben stands up, and brushes the sand off his pants. "It's for you, Jack."

Jack reaches into the bottle with his pinky finger, but can't pull it out. He turns the bottle upside down to shake it out. "What does it say?" he asks.

Ben turns one last time before walking away. "If I remember correctly, the letter begins: _Dear Jack, I stand here waiting_."

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><p><strong>(to be continued! Hope anyone reading is enjoying.. FYI that scene Jack was referring to with Kate on the beach was in S1Ep3 "Tabula Rasa", one of my all time favorite scenes)<strong>


	6. I Stand Here Waiting

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**-Chapter 6-**  
><strong>I Stand Here Waiting<br>**

Jack turns the bottle over and taps the base as if it were a bottle of ketchup. The note slides just enough for him to pinch and pull out. He unrolls it, revealing a faded hand written note. The edges are brown and soft and fall apart at the touch. Jack holds it close to his chest to shield it from the ocean breeze.

_Dear Jack,  
>I stand here waiting,<br>believing that you somehow  
>survived that dreadful day,<br>and will someday find  
>your way back home.<em>

The note is old, but the handwriting is familiar.

_It seems like  
>only yesterday<br>that we said goodbye  
>on the cliffs.<em>

Jack comes to a moment of realization of who wrote it, but also has a moment of reasoning; it _actually was_ yesterday when he and Kate said goodbye.

_You stopped short  
>of promising<br>that you would see me again.  
>I understand<br>you couldn't say yes,  
>but you couldn't say no either.<em>

Although he's unsure when the letter was written, he imagines her just as he did when he prayed in the church to see her again.

* * *

><p>Kate wades in knee deep water of a small inlet somewhere on the coast of California. She holds the letter in her hand, and is reading one last time before placing it in the bottle.<p>

She likes this beach because it's reminiscent of the Island. The trees are tropical and the shore is covered in formations of smooth table top boulders. Except for a small cluster of recreational boats just off shore, the place is quiet and isolated.

She continues reading:

_I've tried moving on  
>But cannot<br>And perhaps never will  
>I will never forget you, Jack<br>The uncertainty of not knowing  
>Fills my heart with suspense<br>I'm holding on to hope  
>That you're alive and coming back<br>Until I see you again  
>I stand here waiting.<em>

_Love,  
>Kate<em>

She rolls the message tightly and seals it inside the bottle. A nearby river feeds into the harbor, creating a steady current. She places it in the water and watches it slowly drift out to sea.

* * *

><p>Back on the Island, Desmond's sailboat ("Elizabeth") is docked and being loaded with supplies at the Pala Ferry dock. Hurley walks out on the dock to bid farewell to Des and Jack before they venture across the Pacific. "Man, I'm really gonna miss you guys," he says, giving each one a hug and a slap on the back. "Come back anytime."<p>

"How do we keep in touch?" asks Desmond.

"Don't worry; I'll have my number two in contact with you." Hurley turns and points to Ben, who stands alone at the beach staring out in the distance. Oddly, Ben hasn't come out to say goodbye. "He's been acting really creepy lately," says Hurley.

"What do you expect?" Jack chuckles, looking back with a worried look on his face. "He's Ben." Jack drops the supplies he has in his hand and starts walking the dock toward land. "He knows something."

"About what, brutha?" asks Desmond.

"About Kate."

* * *

><p><strong>(to be continued! Ok, so I'm getting past 6 chapters, so sorry these are hard to gauge. I'm more into writing smaller chapters. 2 more planned.. Should be it.. Hope you're still enjoying! -bobt)<strong>


	7. Confrontation

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**-Chapter 7-**  
><strong>Confrontation<strong>

Ben waits patiently to be noticed while pretending to watch waves from the beach. He glances over and sees Jack step off the dock in his direction. _Perfect_ he thinks. The anticipation of the coming moment brings satisfaction to his twisted mind. He tenses his lips to obscure his forming smile. Creating scenarios which bring people to him is a skill he's worked hard at perfecting; a game he's enjoyed his entire life.

Jack is determined. He's looking for answers and, as usual, annoyed by Ben's lack of cooperation. This time, Ben conveniently disappeared for days after their last talk on the beach without telling anybody where he was going.

"Where were you?" asks Jack, his voice shaking in frustration.

Ben acts surprised and turns his head. "Oh hello, Jack." He looks down and sees the note in Jack's hand. "I'm sorry, but I wasn't going to tell you goodbye. I figured you wouldn't miss me, as much as you miss her."

Jack's arms instinctively tense. He holds himself back from throwing a punch, giving his best stare of intimidation instead. "Who wrote this?" he demands, holding the note in a clenched fist.

Ben ignores his threats and looks back to the ocean. "Her signature is on the bottom. Didn't you see it?"

Jack chuckles anxiously and looks away. "It's not possible. You said you found it when you were a teenager."

"The Island makes it possible," he replies. He can no longer suppress his smile; the thrill of knowing something Jack doesn't know tickles at his soul.

Jack opens his hands outward in a gesture of giving up. "Let me get this straight; Kate somehow wrote me a letter in the past."

Ben giggles; he can't wait to unfold this mystery for Jack, although it will take some effort on Jack's part to believe in the miraculous. "No, Jack; the letter is _from the future_."

* * *

><p><strong>(sorry this was such a short chapter, it's been awhile and i had to write something, gives you something to chew on..to be continued!)<strong>


	8. Message Delivered

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**-Chapter 8-**  
><strong>Message Delivered<br>**

Jack presses his fingers against his temples. "What do you mean_ from the future_?"

"It's actually quite simple, Jack. The plane carrying your friends left two days ago, so most likely she hasn't written it yet."

Jack pauses then looks down at the note again. He shakes his head, struggling to comprehend. "But I have it in my hand _right_ _now_." He examines the brown edges and the faded color.

"It's from the future, but that doesn't mean it's not old." Ben places his glasses on then leans forward to examine it along with Jack. "Probably older than the Declaration of Independence; must have taken centuries to float across the Pacific," he says, sliding the glasses to the tip of his nose.

Ben's thrill of holding back answers has passed; his demeanor has shifted from crafty game playing to an authentic willingness to help. Jack can sense his honesty, and lets down his guard even more.

"Let me try to explain," says Ben, taking his glasses back off. He kneels down and picks up a small clam in the ankle deep water. "The waters surrounding this Island contain artifacts from both past and future." He hands Jack the clam and it quickly tightens its shell. "The creature you have in your hand could have originated centuries ago or centuries from now."

Jack looks at the clam and shakes his head. "I still don't understand."

"To tell you the truth, neither do I," admits Ben, shrugging his shoulders. "The mechanism John Locke, and others before him, used to move the Island is very unpredictable. Not only does it move time, it also carries the Island to a new location. At some point, the waters it suddenly emerged from must be the same waters Kate's message will be floating upon _centuries from now_."

For Jack, the full explanation doesn't matter; he's learned how to appreciate and believe in things without fully understanding them. Whether it's the Oceanic crash, or their flash off the plane to the 1970s, or their reappearance together in 2007, or even being together in the afterlife; one thing is for sure: the Island always manages to bring them together.

Jack smiles as he reads part of the letter again. He imagines what Kate's surprise will be like when they're finally reunited and shows it to her. Jack places the note securely back in his pocket. He looks back to the dock and sees Desmond waving for him to get back to the boat.

"She's waiting for you," says Ben. "Although, I do hope you reconsider my offer of staying. She can always wait a little longer."

Jack chuckles quietly to himself; he can't understand why Ben is so persistent in his recruitment, even though he's ultimately the one that delivered Kate's message to him.

"And why would I even consider staying?" Jack asks.

"The reasons you were brought back to life include much more than seeing Kate. The Island needs you, Jack; _especially now_."

* * *

><p><strong>(Glad to see so many of you are enjoying… This story keeps getting longer and more complicated as I write! It ends when it ends! Will Jack cave to Ben's demands to stay, forcing Kate to "stand waiting" even longer? Answers are coming! –bobt)<strong>


	9. Decision Point

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**-Chapter 9-**  
><strong>Decision Point<br>**

"The Island needs you, Jack; _especially now_."

Jack's heart is already set on leaving without ever looking back. He's sacrificed everything to the point of death; what else could the Island possibly require of him? He looks to the sailboat docked at the end of the pier; his ticket to freedom, and Kate, so close.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I went these past several days. I was at the Temple, meeting with my people," says Ben.

Jack becomes skeptical. Ben meeting in secret with old friends is a definite red flag. His gut feeling tells him not to trust him. "_Your_ people?" Jack asks with a hint of sarcasm. "You mean _the Others_?"

Ben nods. "Yes, Jack. Although, we haven't used that terminology for quite awhile."

Jack breathes a sigh of annoyance then looks back again at Desmond's sailboat. He walks away without hesitation. "Goodbye Ben."

"They're your people too," pleads Ben, as Jack walks further away and doesn't respond.

"Some are survivors of 815. One was a flight attendant, who served you a drink on the plane. Her name is Cindy."

Jack keeps walking, gesturing his hand off to the side to show he doesn't care.

Ben raises his voice to try to get Jack's attention one last time. "They're dying, Jack."

Jack freezes in his stance, and slowly turns his head. "They're what?"

"Most of them are already dead, actually." Ben comes closer so he doesn't have to yell over the sound of the waves. "The monster rampaged the Temple, killing almost everyone who didn't forsake Jacob and follow him. The ones who came with him were badly injured in the battle against Widmore's people on the beach."

Jack swallows; his throat tightens after hearing the grim news. "How many are there?" he asks.

"Eight survivors; each of them severely injured and in need of medical care," Ben explains, his expression begging for Jack to stay. "They need a doctor, Jack."

Jack contemplates staying, but suddenly remembers how his life was saved. "What about Hurley? Can't he save them?"

Ben shakes his head. "Except for special circumstances, Hurley must remain hidden from people, just as Jacob was before him."

"Why?" asks Jack.

"There are rules, Jack. Rules that from now on must be enforced, otherwise Hurley's life will be endangered; and it's my job to protect him."

"What kind of rules?" Jack is clueless. His role as Island protector was short lived, for good reason; the threat to the Island had to be quickly defeated once Jacob was dead. Jack's personality was perfect for engaging war. Hurley's role will hopefully be much longer, now that peace has been established.

"Rules that once protected Jacob from people like myself," Ben replies. _Only the Island leader may request an audience_. Ben recalls that particular rule far to well, since that was the rule Jacob's brother took advantage of by bringing him close enough to kill Jacob.

"Please, Jack. Kate can wait. My people cannot."

Jack looks back again at the sailboat; his heart is torn between leaving and doing the right thing. Ben places a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"I promise; Hurley and I will find you another way home."


	10. The Shore of Destiny

x  
>x<p>

**-Chapter 10-**  
><strong>The Shore of Destiny<strong>

Kate wades in knee deep water of a small inlet somewhere on the coast of California. She likes this beach because it's reminiscent of the Island. The trees are tropical and the shore is covered in formations of smooth table top boulders. Except for a small cluster of recreational boats just off shore, the place is quiet and isolated.

She rolls the message tightly and seals it inside the bottle. A nearby river feeds into the harbor, creating a steady current. She places it in the water and watches it slowly drift

Further.

And further.

And further away.

Until disappearing from sight.

And there she stands waiting, and believing; that somehow, Jack survived that dreadful day.

She watches the waves for a moment, then looks to the small cluster of boats anchored just off shore. There's a white sailboat within the cluster which looks vaguely familiar. A man with long brown hair walks to the stern and waves both hands in the air. "Aye! Over here!" he yells in a thick Scottish accent.

Kate's heart skips a beat. _Desmond?_ she says to herself. Kate wades a little deeper to get a better look.

Desmond chuckles and keeps waving. "Over here!"

Kate looks to her right and sees a woman and a little boy run out into the water together. "Daddy, Daddy!" little Charlie yells. "You made it, Des!" yells Penny. Desmond dives off the boat and swims toward his family, unaware that Kate is wading in the waters close by.

Kate nervously looks back to the boat, scanning for signs of anyone else on board. "Please," she whispers. Several long seconds go by without seeing any movement. "Oh no," she says, her voice cracking. Her worst fears are confirmed. A tear streaks down her cheek. Her breathing becomes faster, as if air can no longer fill her lungs. The burning sensation spreads below her ribs, pressing painfully against her heart. She gasps, finally able to breathe but sobbing uncontrollably. She presses her hands against her cheeks to hide her face.

Then suddenly, a familiar voice calls out from the shore behind her.

"Kate?" Jack stands, soaking wet from his swim to shore. "Is that you?" he asks.

Kate looks back; her tear filled eyes unable to distinguish his face. "Jack?" she whispers, barely exhaling to form words. Jack wades into the water to come near. She rubs her eyes to clear the tears. "Jack!" she says, her voice gaining volume. She wants to run to him, but her knees weaken.

Jack wades faster then grabs her hands to keep her from falling. "Hey," he says, somewhat casually. She lunges forward to embrace him. "Jack!" her cries muffled into the comfort of his shoulder.

Jack returns the affection and hugs her tightly. "Hey, it's Ok. I'm here."

She catches her breath. The stinging sensation within her chest fades, replenished with the warmth of Jack's presence. "You're alive," she says. She lifts up his shirt and feels the area which was once wounded.

"Ya. I know," he says, smiling. "I had to come back, _to you."_

She gazes back in his eyes, still in shock. "It's been almost a year. What took you so long?" she asks.

"Ben recruited me," he replies.

"Recruited?" she says. She raises her eyebrows, expecting more explanation. "Sounds important."

"I had to stay, Kate. Otherwise, even more would have died," he says, sparing Kate the gruesome medical details of the people he saved. Jack looks down the beach and waves to Desmond and Penny. "Desmond was my only ride home, until Ben could get another submarine. I'm lucky he waited so long for me."

Kate smiles. "I waited for you too, Jack."

Jack smirks, anticipating the moment. "I know," he says. He reaches into his pocket and unfolds the message.

"What is this?" Kate's eyes widen as she recognizes her own handwriting. Her expression becomes more shocking each line she reads. She looks back to the ocean; her message in a bottle now far from view. "But how is this possible?" she asks, looking into Jack's eyes.

"I don't know, Kate," he says, shaking his head. "After coming to the Island, I've learned a lot of things are possible."

Kate moves close again for a hug, and moves her hands around to squeeze Jack's arms. "Are you really real, Jack?"

"Ya," he chuckles, but also perplexed. He leans back to look into her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, is this moment _even real_?"

Jack shrugs his shoulders. "What else could it be?"

"You found my message, all the way across the ocean that I just now sent in a bottle from this shore," she says, stepping back and holding up the note. "What if you _really_ died on the Island?"

"What?" asks Jack, shrugging off her suggestion as ridiculous.

"What if _we both_ died, and right now we're only existing in some kind of dream we created?"

Jack thinks back to his experience in the afterlife. It was a world that seemed real, until he awoke to the realization of who Kate and the rest of his friends really were. He squeezes her arms, and then his own just to make sure. "I really don't know Kate," he says. "But there's only one way to find out."

Jack runs his fingers through her hair, tucking layers of curls behind her ears. He leans closer; the motion of each breath taken shared between them. She closes her eyes and feels the tingling of his brow against her nose. Their lips touch. The sky behind them suddenly brightens as the evening clouds shift away, revealing the entire sun sitting high on the horizon. The sands and waters surrounding them glisten in the light, becoming brighter.

And brighter.

And brighter.

And,

:)The End!:)

* * *

><p><strong>And so this story ends. Wow. Can't believe it. I will surely miss writing this. I'm hoping many of you were pleasantly surprised by this final chapter, as I skipped over all the details of what could have possibly happened with Jack being on the Island while Kate patiently waited. Because in the end, what does it matter? No matter what characters or scenes introduced, this story was meant for Jack and Kate being together all along.<strong>

**I want to thank so many of you for joining me on this journey. Erica, SoFeelingTheLove, Kodiack, Yas. Your comments were very encouraging, and inspired me to keep going.**

**Erica, I hope you're still around since I wrote way passed the four chapters I originally intended :)  
><strong>

**As a little sidenote, the very "bright" ending of this story is open to interpretation, and by no means has to mean that it absolutely was the afterlife. I personally like to believe, that Jack coming back alive and keeping Kate from waiting was real! And that it was just the sun getting brighter! -bobt  
><strong>


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